Power wheel



Aug. 29, 1950 E. J. WIESERT POWER WHEEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1 6, 1948 v 3nvemor I J; WIESEET qttomeg 1950 E J. WIESERT 2,520,587

POWER WHEEL Filed July 16, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. Eva/4,? J. W/A-Jfkr 14 T roe/wa s Patented Aug. 29,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER WHEEL Edgar J. Wiesert, Seattle, Wash. Application July 16, 1948, Serial No. 39,099

4' Claims.

This invention relates to devices which I refer to as power wheels. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved form of motor driven traction wheel unit that may be detachably applied to 1a bicycle to serve as an auxiliary propulsion means therefor.

It is the principal object of'my invention to provide a compact, light-weight and serviceable propulsion unit of the above character for a bicycle, or the like; that may be easily and readily applied thereto, and which may be readily detached; and which device embodies a novel method of and means for driving the traction wheel or for-allowing it to run free as in coasting or' free Wheeling.

It is also an object of the invention to provide novel means for mounting or attaching the present power wheel to the bicycle frame to retain the power'wheel rigidly in alignment relative to the bicycle, but permitting "the unit to maintain ground contact and to readily and automatically road surfaces, and by reason of the bicycle being leaned toward one side or the other as in turning. Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby a belt driving connection between engine and traction wheel may be readily made slack or taut by the rider of the bicycle to which the power unit is applied, thus to put the'whe'el in or out of gear.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the details of construction and combination of parts and their mode of use as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a bicycle equipped with a power wheel in 'accordance'with the present invention and embodying the novel features of the and shows the relationship of power wheel unit and'bicycle in making a left turn.

Fig. 4 is a similar, but somewhat enlarged view unit in making a right turn; the engine being omitted from this view and parts of the traction wheel beingbroken away for better showing of details.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a part of a bicycle, showing the location and manner of affixing the unit attaching bracket to the bicycle frame.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the traction unit frame.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevation of the unit attaching bracket and frame of the power unit; the traction wheel being omitted to better show its crank shaft mounting member.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the attaching bracket.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The present device comprises the power unit proper, and the attaching bracket for the functional connection of the power unit to a bicycle frame.

The power unit comprises a rigid metal frame structure that is designated in its entirety by reference numeral Ill; an engine II that is fixedly mounted upon the frame structure; and a traction wheel I2 that is mounted in the frame I 0 for travel in rolling contact with the ground and to be driven by the engine for the propulsion of the bicycle.

The frame II] comprises a fiat, horizontal top plate Illa, inner and outer vertical side walls Illa: and lily integral therewith, or rigidly secured thereto, and extending downwardly therefrom for the mounting of the traction wheel I2 between them, as best shown in Fig. 4.

The wheel I2 preferably is equipped with a pneumatic tire, and has a hub portion whereby it is mounted to rotate freely on a supporting shaft I5; the shaft I5, as best shown in Fig. '7, constituting the throw of a crank shaft I6 which extends between the opposite side walls of the frame and is rotatably mounted at its ends in bearings III'I formed in the side walls. Fixed concentrically to the wheel hub, adjacent the outside of the wheel, is a V-belt pulley I8 about which a driving belt I9 is extended to drive the traction wheel, as presently will be explained.

The engine I I is mounted rigidly upon the top wall of the frame 6. This may be any suitable type of engine, and is here shown to be a common type of'internal combustion engine, with power shaft I In: parallel with shaft I6 and equipped at one end with a V-belt pulley 20, aligned with the belt pulley I8, to receive the belt I9 thereover.

The belt I9, when drawn tightly into the grooves of the pulleys I8 and 20, will effect a driving connection between engine and traction wheel.

When loosely seated in the pulleys, there will be sufficient slippage to allow the engine to coast and the traction wheel to roll free.

The means whereby the traction wheel may be adjusted in its supporting frame to cause the.

belt l9 to be drawn taut or to be loosely applied in the belt pulleys comprises a hand lever 25 that is fixed at its lower end to the inner end of crank shaft [6, to extend upwardly to a position at shaft l6 on which the traction wheel is mounted. I

is such that by actuating the upper end of the.

lever forwardly, with respect to the bicycle; the

crank shaft will be rotated in a manner thatwill move the throw of the shaft downwardly; relative to the engine, thus to lower the traction wheel and incidentally draw the belt l9 taut in the pill leys and cause the traction wheel to be driven.

When. the lever is movedrearwardly, the crank hand. lever Zilxnay beso manipulated: as to cause the belt iiito'sliportogradually'engagethe pulfleys, thusto avd id any isuddenlj erkwhen a driving connection isniadebetweenengine and tractiori wheel. Also, power' shut off, and belt ant ie' temperate as brake. e To retain the hand lever Z5. at any set posiqn dj st ent, have fii di a nqt he e ment 28 to the frame l0 and have mounted; a latch ed izfie cne he ever. 2 Ion endwisesniftns w th its ow nd inresitiqn tone en a e in the notches Thelatch rod maybe retracted Qm an en asedpositicn byahand-grin lever. 3e; pivotally fixed to its uper end and to the upper. end of, theleverli' Normally therod urged to a lcclzin nositionby a coiled springj l thatis appiiednnder, compression between lugs 32 and. 33. applr d, respectively, to lever,.25; and the rod. Themeans, for. attaching. thepower unit-to the bicycle is best. shown inFigsr 4, 5 andll, wherein 35 and 36,, designate side members of the bicycle frame, 31 the rear wheel of the bicycle, and 38"the wheel mounting spindle bolt, which is secured at itsends in the bicycleframe in the usual manner. Secured to the bicycle frame at the left side, is an. attaching bracket forth-e unit. This comprisesa .f lat metal plate 4!), adapted to be vertically disposed along, the sideof'a bicycle frame member 35 asinFig. 5. At its rear end the plate has a hole 4! therein through which the adjacent end portion of spindle boltf38 is extended and" secured by a nut4-2, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. In the forward end portion of theplate 49 are 'a series of-holes 'ds'through any one of which a bolt 64 inay be extended; This'bfolt has a hook 4:3 at its inner end adapted to be hooked over the bicycle frame ir'ieinber '36, and a nut '45 is.

threaded onto the outer end" of bolt 44' to be tightened on the bolt, thusjto clamp and rigidly secure the plate lfi to'the bicycle frame,

Formed along the topiedge of the plate lll-is an outwardly fextendingflange 46, and fixed rigid-, 1y therein 'and extending, downwardly therefrom in parallel relationship, are spaced, vertical guide rodsfi'l 'lll'. Theserods are freely' slidableend Wise in, tubular guide bearings 4848 that are rigidly supported by ver-ticallyl'spaced brackets or plates E'Sifi fi.x'edito the inside wall l llzn of frame Y I aas'shown inlfjig. '7, Coiled springs '51] are: ap

. ra elii emhe a V 4 V plied about the upper end portions of rods 4l- 41 and are fixed to the flange 46.

The relationship of parts above described is such that when assembled as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 7, the power Wheel unit will be held properly in its functional relationship to the bicycle, with its wheel 52 in a plane parallel to the plane of the bicycle wheel and frame. When rounding a turn, either to the right or to the left, that results in the bicycle being leaned in the directionbf the turn, the frarneflfl will he. leaned accordingly, but by reason of the sliding connection between rods 41-41 and the guide bearings 4:8 4}, the traction wheel and bicycle wheel both will maintain contact with the ground and retain the functional relationship.

By manipulation of hand lever 25, the belt [9 maybe caused to'be loosened for idling of the engine and free wheeling of the unit, or it may be tightenedto cause a driving connection to be efs eq 7 T i qqnnect iq sls m owe unit, it. is.

nl nehes a a nehi' r l h ift d 2 lear e ed 1-7 1; tqmlhe u de ar ng 48:43; It 5' Wk? nderste di ih e tle s n l for, the engine could be exte to the handle bar or th ar oithe cy le qr.- ld een th n in itself.

he pr nt device. i ht n, wei ht easyj g tt e 1:. deta h. ed efie iive i ie ily and.

' t s ac orily e es, urp se.

Havin thus.de cribed'my nv ntiqn what I. laim, new. here n. nd. esire, o, sec r te s Patent. s:

1. In combination, a bicycle having a frame t ur a hr Qketf e ri idn to he a d, ram structure, at the sideioff the'rear wheeland hav me. a. el i aliir Qt riiea e d r i y e te re apower W ee ni; qqmbrisine al i ti emb r pp able 1e a ods. Sli ehlemWeinent e al ne a ti" n Whee -Qu l ed. n, d

h ldtherelb n a planar r.-

we w h he e wi eef ne un e. ane

mounted on the framemejmber, a beit conne'c,

e inenthe engine. sha and power wheel. heft nd a menu 15 1 1; W ange h aced e ationsh t he 6 .3 5? empow whee m s ra sient. r new i- 2. In combination; a bicycle having a. frame structure and a, propellingwheel, a bracket fixed shaft; adjusting/means comp ses a, handilever fixed the sha ftlandext d d upwaifidly there? from, and Wn, elin rne frame and on sa d lever fior 1 i mentt secure an adjustment i sa id-shaft.

ew y-whsel Q sp sed ui e. ods,

to efiectl or discontinue, dri ng of the wheel 7 ingabelt pulley there,- boil vthe said pulleys of the,

for its propulsion and comprising a frame structure, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame structure and having an eccentric portion, a traction Wheel revoluble on said eccentric portion of the shaft, an engine mounted on said frame structure, belt wheels on the traction wheel and. on the engine shaft, a belt applied about said wheels to provide a driving connection, and a manual means to rotate the said shaft to change the spaced relationship of the belt wheels to effect or discontinue a driving connection through the mediacy of the belt.

EDGAR J. WIESERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

0 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Greer et al June 1, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1909 Great Britain 1908 

